Finding Faith When Everyone’s Watching: A 14-Year-Old’s Journey to Authentic Belief
Picture this: You’re 14 years old, surrounded by friends who might judge you, stepping into a high school of 4,000 students where your older brothers have already made their mark. The pressure is real. The expectations are high. And somehow, in the middle of all that noise, you decide to share your faith on social media every single day.
That’s exactly what Knox Earlewine has been doing, and his story reveals something powerful about what happens when faith becomes your own choice rather than just family tradition.
The moment everything clicked
Knox describes a random Friday morning in seventh grade when everything changed. Home alone before school, he opened his Bible and made a simple commitment: shower, settle down, and read his Bible every day. No fanfare, no big announcement – just a quiet decision that would reshape his entire approach to life.
“I didn’t know how long it was gonna stick,” Knox admits, “but I kept doing it and kept doing it and I’m going on like a year and a half strong.” The daily routine became his way of settling down each night, bringing what he calls “a sense of peace” no matter how his day had gone.
But here’s where it gets interesting – Knox didn’t stop at personal devotions. Despite being concerned that older friends might make fun of him, he started posting his daily Bible verses and reflections on Snapchat. That first post brought immediate positive feedback, and he realized this could help other people who were struggling.
Why this matters for your own faith journey
Knox’s experience highlights something crucial: authentic faith often grows strongest when it’s tested by real-world pressures. Walking into a 4,000-person high school while maintaining daily Bible reading and public faith sharing isn’t easy. Choosing to skip Instagram and TikTok when all your friends have them isn’t popular.
Yet Knox has discovered what many adults struggle to find – that consistent time in God’s word creates wisdom, changes how you carry yourself, and gives you confidence to help others grow in their faith. His daily practice has become “kind of my way of connecting with God for the day” and has inspired multiple friends to start similar routines.
The lesson here isn’t just for teenagers. Whether you’re 14 or 40, the question remains the same: Is your faith truly yours, or are you just going through the motions? Knox shows us that when we make faith our own choice and commit to consistent practices, it transforms not just us but the people around us.
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Episode Summary:
14-year-old Knox Earlewine, the youngest member of the Earlewine family, is making waves by sharing his faith daily on social media and choosing God’s path over peer pressure. This episode showcases Knox’s remarkable maturity as he prepares to enter a 4,000-student high school, following in the footsteps of his accomplished older brothers Cole and Ty. Watch as he shares his heart about faith, family pressure, and finding his own purpose while honoring the Earlewine legacy.
Key Takeaways:
- Daily Bible reading brings peace and wisdom beyond your years
- Sharing your faith takes courage but creates ripple effects
- Big brothers can be your greatest influencers for good
- Family legacy is an honor to carry, not a burden to bear
- Social media limits can actually increase your real influence
- God uses young people to impact their generation
Notable Quotes:
- “I always pray just ‘Lord, make this post help somebody if they’re struggling.'”
- “It doesn’t feel overwhelming to think there’s 4,000 people at the school. It just kind of feels like 4,000 new people I get to meet.”
- “I wish social media would go away because I feel like that’s kind of just the root of all evil for kids right now.”
- “God always says we can do anything with him and just to trust in the Lord’s plan.”
- “It’s kind of my way of connecting with God for the day. And it just kind of makes me feel special.”
Episode Resources:
Connect with Daron on Social Media:
Links to the Daron Earlewine Podcast
YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Libsyn
EPISODE 182 TRANSCRIPT
Knox: They commented on the post and I just kind of felt a sense of peace, like knowing like this is big, this could be a big step in my faith. And I just kind of kept doing it because I knew that it could help people. I was praying just, Lord, make this post help somebody if they’re struggling. And just multiple people have told me like it really helps. It’s kind of my way of connecting with God for the day. And it just kind of makes me feel special. Created on purpose and for purpose.
Daron: Hey, welcome back to the Daron Earlewine Podcast, also known as the Earlewine Podcast for this series of conversations and first episodes. And we’ve had quite a few so far, but sitting down with my wife, sitting down with our whole family and just talking about the series of life, all of us as families. You have your kids, little kids, you raise them. And then we’re at the situation at the time of life where we’re launching these kids out to become what they were born to be in college.
And just like, you know what, let’s sit down and have a family conversation about their perspectives from their birth order of kind of walking through that. So stoked for the first time, I believe ever on the podcast to welcome my youngest son Knox, really Earlewine Knox. Welcome to the podcast.
Knox: Thank you.
Daron: Are you nervous?
Knox: A little bit.
Daron: A little bit. Well, you like to talk so you should do well with it. Yeah. I think actually we back in COVID wasn’t it? Didn’t I cut your hair live on Facebook Live or was that Cole’s?
Knox: I have no clue.
Daron: Other than that, you’ve not made an appearance. You’ve got a little bit of a head cold, so you’ve got a little bit of… Yeah. Always fun. So your voice will sound even deeper, more buttery. I actually think it’s not really the head cold. I think this is just what we’re dealing with now.
Knox: Oh, the voice change?
Daron: Yeah, that and the fact that he’s about an inch and a half taller than me now.
Knox: I think he’s two inches.
Daron: Two inches tall. Size shoe do you wear, Knox?
Knox: 12.
Daron: Yeah, Knox screwed up the whole thing in our house. We all wore a 10 or 10 and a half, which meant every pair of shoes that was purchased could be worn by all three males. And now Knox has to have his own shoes, which works out for you. So Knox, you, how old are you?
Knox: 14, almost 15.
Daron: When do you turn 15?
Knox: July 15th.
Daron: All right. So just around the corner. What are you going to race then? This is probably after July 15th. Well, maybe. So you may be 15 right now as day of recording. You’re still 14 years old. Okay. So you’re the youngest person here at Earlewine, Inc. What has been one of the best things and your perspective of being the baby in the family?
Knox: I mean, it’s definitely been easier to walk through just walk through like junior high and stuff and just like starting high school football. Like it’s been a little easier just like knowing a lot of people. So even though I will be alone, like I still have like older brothers that were friends with Cole and Ty. So definitely just having kind of connections with the world already. Unlike Cole had and Ty had a little bit, but just being able to be known. I mean, yeah. I don’t know how to word it, but like it’s already like just being on a, at an advantage than other people that haven’t really been known around like the program or just around like the district or whatever. Like it’s just easier just to go places.
Daron: You got to feel like you got kind of a stronger community, maybe.
Knox: Okay. Yeah. And having a strong community just helps adjust the things easier.
Daron: Yeah. Cause I mean, that’s the jump. I mean, in our high school, I in your junior high. I think, I mean, how many people are in his eighth grade, you know?
Knox: My school is like 300, like overall in the class.
Daron: In your class. Just, well, just at HHH. Like 300.
Knox: 300.
Daron: So I think, I don’t know, what’s, do you know what his freshman class is? It’s gotta be close to 900.
Knox: Probably close to 900.
Daron: So you’re, you know, you got 900. whole school is close to 4,000. Yeah, you’re coming into a 4,000 person high school. some people that may go to a school that has 150 or even 400 students to say 4000 students seems asinine probably to them. What’s your emotion? Like I’m going into a school with 4000 people. What is that? What do you feel?
Knox: I’m excited. I mean, as the youngest child, you just kind of wait for your turn. That’s kind of is how I’ve grown up as I just keep waiting for the for the moment that I get to put on the pads as a high school football player with world’s cross my trip across my chest. So I’m really just really excited to kind of just be in that atmosphere all the time and just be living the, be living the dream that I always had. Yeah, I always had whatever. But yeah, it’s just kind of like, it doesn’t feel overwhelming to think there’s 4,000 people at the school.
Daron: No, it’s just kind of feels like 4,000 new people I get to meet.
Knox: I dig that. I dig that. Okay.
Daron: So let’s go to the other side of it. What? As the youngest, what has been like, I don’t know, I don’t want to say, I guess it could like a negative, are there ways that you felt overlooked or lost or like in your perspective, like what’s been one of the bummers for being the baby of the family?
Knox: As much as having a big community helps, it also hurts because I feel like I have a lot of pressure on myself a lot because I have just such big shoes to fill from Cole and Ty, just in all aspects of being a Royal. They just have done so much good there that I feel like I just when I walk in the building on the first day, like I’ll just have a lot of a lot of pressure to fulfill what they did. Obviously I’m writing my own story, but it’s I’m I’m still kind of in the shadow of how how big and how long their stories were, because how much they did at the high school, because I’m kind of always reminded that. Whatever like how good they were at football or baseball or just how good Tyler’s and Blue Crew or just like just how much they did, how much good they did at HSC. But my, this is something I’m excited for is just to do things that they didn’t do at HSC. Like being a peer tutor, I’m excited for that. Cause that’s just something they never did. So I think it’ll be a good way for me to open doors for myself instead of having the doors already opened for me.
Daron: So one thing that’s interesting to Knox is, so I wore number eight and when I was like sixth grade all the way through high school and Cole decided to number eight and then once Ty could get it, he started wearing number eight, you know, in baseball and football. And right now, the plan is you’re gonna keep wearing number eight. Why did you make that decision? Cause you could have been like, listen, I’m charting my own path. Like I’m an own man. were 33 or whatever. And it’s not just all about sports, but why, why is it important to you to, to follow, like to carry that on instead of just doing your own thing?
Knox: Cause I feel like it’s kind of like a stereotype for athletes. Like numbers mean more than what people think they do. So like, just, I just want to carry on our family legacy and just like, just continually make names for our family. Because I feel like it’s kind of, I guess it’s always been a kind of cool thing to be able to wear number eight for your family. So it’s just kind of special for all of us to just be able to carry on that legacy of like the Earlewines were number eight or whatever. Yeah. So it’s just kind of special.
Daron: I love it. It’s cool. So Knox, you’ve had a front row seat for your brothers growing up. You’ve seen two of them now do high school. You’ve seen your oldest now to two years of college. So you’ve seen some good, you’ve seen some bad, right? What are some of the biggest takeaways, I guess, that you feel like you’re stepping into high school now, but you’ve got to, like you’ve had a front row seat to watch them do it. What are some of the maybe positive or negative takeaways?
Knox: I mean, I definitely kind of want to stay on a stronger path of faith. I feel like I’ve just seen some of their friends do some things that kind of just don’t look super pleasing. So I definitely want to stay away from going down the wrong path and just kind of make sure that I’m staying on the path of God and just not making any stupid decisions and just embarrassing myself from doing stupid things and just… Positive things is just like, like just work hard for the things I want. Cause God always says we can do anything with him and just to trust in the Lord’s plan and just know that if I, if I want to do something that I can do it through him and with him. So just to kind of just work hard for the things I want and just to leave, just lead with humility and knowing that God is with me through everything.
Daron: Yeah. Yeah. What a great answer. I love that. Kind of maybe you’ve had, obviously, with two older brothers and they’re very unique in how God’s created them. Like, what’s something that stands out to you that you feel like you’ve learned from your oldest brother? And what’s something that you feel like that’s unique that you’ve learned from from Ty, your middle brother?
Knox: So both of them are very different people. Cole is a very he’s a hard worker and he is driven to get things done and it’s always intense and focused on the next task. But Ty is super laid back. He loves to hang out with his friends and have fun and all these things. So I’ve kind of just tried to learn how to turn it turn because I’m kind of a mix of both of them. So I kind of learned how to turn it off and on. Like if I go to practice or I’m preparing for a game or I’m lifting or anything, I’m going to training. I try to turn on my intensity and drive and to go get the things I want. But also when I come home, I don’t want to put it on other people. So I try and turn it off like Ty does and just kind of be relaxed and just be a positive person to be around.
Wait, say that question again. But just from, yeah, so kind of like you kind of answered it, but like what you learned that you really take away from Cole and what’s takeaway you would have from Ty?
Yeah, just obviously like Coles is just a big role model to me because he’s doing the things I dream of. So I learned just to work hard and just to just to work hard and just work for the things I want. Because I know that if I do work hard, then it will come for me. And I just kind of learned more about my sports life from him. But I feel like Ty has kind of just taught me just kind of how to walk through life as kind more of a high schooler. Just kind of find the right people that will help me walk through high school in the path I wanted to be. And he’s just kind of helped me. He’s really helped me with my faith, because he was my a wildlife leader. I don’t know if you guys know what that is, it’s wildlife is the thing we do on Wednesdays where high schoolers lead junior high kids like just to faith and stuff. And it’s been really impactful to watch Ty do that. And he just kind of helped me and all my friends just grow in our faith. And it’s been really, really fun and really cool.
Daron: Yeah. On the topic of faith, so junior high for anyone who’s done it is not an easy time of life, like, you know, your body’s changing, you know, there’s more challenges, like, it’s just, it can be a whirlwind, you know, big time. And one thing that, you know, mom and I have definitely seen, you know, for you Knox is in the past two years, like, your ownership of, of your own relationship with Jesus in your faith has just blossomed. I mean, I don’t know if skyrockets the right word, but like, and obviously, mom and I have followed Jesus for since we were kids, and your brothers did. So there could be an element where it’s like, well, like, I guess I just do the Jesus stuff because that’s what my family does.
But my observation has been over the past two years, this has really been a big part of who you are, not because of us or not because of your brothers. So what would you say has influenced that over these junior high years where your faith really became your own?
Knox: So obviously you’re a pastor and we’ve grown up in the church and that’s just kind of been a thing that was placed in our lives. But just I think it was. So was like almost two years ago, like a year and a half or two years ago, I just kept seeing Ty open up his Bible and just really like focus on it. And through the fall of my seventh grade years, when I really got serious with that, I just knew that I needed to start like, like locking in with the Lord, because I knew he had great things for my life, because I started going to wildlife and all those things. And just, it was actually, it was weird, but this like random Friday and like October, like it was late late August or like going into November like I was kind of open up my Bible and I just started reading. It was like in the morning before school I was home alone and I just kind of made a commitment to myself every day that I was going to shower, settle down, and then read my Bible. And I didn’t know how long it was gonna stick and I didn’t know how long I was going to do it, but it just kind of, I kept doing it and kept doing it and I’m going on like a year and a year and half strong and it’s been.
I think as a person I’ve changed a lot just through, I’ve definitely become more wise in the words I say and just I’ve been able to help my friends blossom into their faith. And I think that’s been kind of cool just to be able to people through that. I just, I definitely have changed as a person just in the way I carry myself and the way that I live because I know that he is with me in every step and he’s always here to protect me and love me.
Daron: Yeah. Do you feel like that was a big part, Knox? I mean, being in the word, I mean, basically every day, you know, I mean, I, I, I’m inspired by your dedication. I mean, there’ll be times where we’re trying to watch a movie or show, whatever. And then Knox will shower and it’d like, well, we won’t be able to start the movie for 20 minutes because Knox has to read his Bible and journal, which is freaking amazing. Right. I think it’s awesome. But like, would you credit that as like being in the word that regularly has been a big part of what’s what’s brought on the change?
Knox: Yeah, I mean, I’ve never been a big reader, but I know like I just feel like after I complete the task, no matter how my day has gone, I’ve always said like it just brings a sense of peace over me to just just to settle down. That’s my way of settling down at night. And I just feel like that’s definitely just helped me with my faith is just. Just learning how Jesus was living and just what God was doing for the world and just, it’s just kind of a way He speaks to me. I read and then I journal just what the Lord was speaking to me through this chapter, the chapter I read today. And it’s just so impactful just knowing that, just kind of just breaking down the thoughts that Jesus is giving me and God is giving me.
Julie: I’m just one don’t want to jump in if you were ready to interject. I was going to say one of the things I really appreciate about this that you do is that you also then post it. What God is teaching you so that you can like share your faith with others. And I that takes a lot of courage as a 14, 13 and 14 year old to to every single day like and I’ve had like older friends that follow you on Snapchat and every day they’ll you know they see and post and they just love it about you. And so I think that is really cool. And it’s actually really super convicting to me because I’m not good at doing that stuff every day. And like, I think it’s interesting the way God can use your children to also be your accountability partner, not just friends or your spouse, but like you’ve really motivated me to be better this past year about doing that because I’ve watched you become, I mean, it would be so easy to not do that every day and you do that. I really admire your, like just commitment and faithfulness to it. But mostly I admire your ability, your confidence in Jesus to share with others.
Knox: Yeah. It’s, it was like a month or two after I started doing that. And it was definitely like a big leap of faith. Cause like at the time I had a lot of older friends and I didn’t know like if people were obviously as like a 13 year old, I didn’t know if people were going to like make fun of me or pick on me for it. But so you thought about that before you did, yeah. I thought about it. I was really taking a picture of the verse. was like, what are people going to say? What if people look at me weird? after doing it that first time, was like, I like this a lot. think actually somebody slid up or they commented. You can use the term of Snapchat. He just basically said, all you listeners are old.
They commented on the post and I just kind of felt a sense of peace, like knowing like, this is a big, this could be a big step in my faith. And I just kind of kept doing it because I knew that it could help people. And I always pray just Lord, make this post help somebody if they’re struggling. And just multiple people have told me like, it really helps. It’s kind of my way of like connecting with God for the day. And it just kind of makes me feel special. like even more of my friends have started doing it. So like, just see that me doing something one time, even though I was kind of scared of doing it, like it just kind of, it blossomed and impacted other people to do the things that I was doing. So it’s like, it’s been a really big part of my faith and I’m just, it’s been really cool.
Daron: So on the, you brought up social media, one of the decisions that we made, Julie, third time around is, you know, we haven’t allowed Knox to have other social media than the Snapchat. Actually his brothers did not let him have it. It was really less us and more Cole and Ty were like, don’t let him have it. That’s a point. It was, wasn’t it? It really wasn’t us. We’re not going to sit over here and act like it was us. I don’t know how old Cole was when we let him get Instagram. 13? 13? 13? So yeah, so you’re right. Your brothers were like, don’t let him. I he does have Snapchat. That’s considered social media. Sure. kids don’t use Facebook. But no TikTok, no Instagram.
When we, when we, through your brother’s leadership, didn’t let you, and I know probably the majority of your friends all have social, least have TikTok or Instagram. Was that a bummer to begin with or were you like, I don’t care? Like what, was the emotion with that?
Knox: The only one I ever cared about was Snapchat because I knew all my friends were like texting on it and stuff. So I wanted that one, but the other ones, like I don’t really care much for. They don’t, it doesn’t bring any good to your life besides. It’s just not good and I don’t really want it a part of my life, even though it could help with recruiting and stuff, but it’s nothing that I think about every day. I’m like, oh, I wish I had this, I wish I had that. It’s not that big of a deal to me, because I know that it’s not helpful at all. It’ll just make my addiction to my phone even worse. So why would I want that?
I mean, I enjoy Snapchat a little bit because I get to talk to my friends, but I don’t even think I needed that. You really just need messages. I wish social media would go away because I feel like that’s kind of just the root of all evil for kids right now. Just in so many different ways.
Daron: Do you think it was easier to not desire those things when two of your heroes told you not to have it?
Knox: For sure. Just knowing that like when they would tell me like, it’s not that. It’s not that cool. It’s not that it’s not going to do anything for you. They definitely like shift my mindset. Like, I don’t need this. Like, I mean, it would be fun being able to like see if I was posted on the agency sports network page or whatever. But somebody else can show me that and they have before. So sometimes I wish I had it, but most of time I’m glad I don’t because. I mean, it ruins people’s lives every day.
Daron: Hey, I hope you’re enjoying this episode of the early wine podcast. And as you can tell, as a family, we definitely like to talk. And so these episodes went a little bit longer than a regular episode. And so we’ve cut them in half. And so this will be the first half of this conversation. We come back. We’ll close the conversation out. Hope you’re enjoying it. Would love to hear from you. You can always email me at Daron at DaronEarlewine.com. And please subscribe to the channel, whatever you’re watching or you’re listening to. We’d love to have you be a part of the growing community of the podcast until we talk next time. Just remember God’s for or not against you is near you not far away and he’s created you on purpose and for purpose. See you on the second half of this episode.